Swivel joint



ff 22j a 2f u NOV- 11 1941. P. H. lRMlscHER 4 swIvEL JoN'r Filed Jul'y1o, `1941 Patented Nov. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES rATsNT OFFICE 4 Claims.

'duit members.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a swiveljoint for lamp brackets a simple stop means which will permit thebracket elements to rotate more than one complete revolution withrespect to each other thus giving such lamp bracket a wide range ofadjustability.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention reside in certaindetails of construction to be described hereafter in view of thedrawing'in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a swivel jointinterposed between two swinging brackets;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the swinging brackets of Fig.1, in a different position, with a portion of the swivel housing brokenaway to disclose the abutting ends of the swivel brackets;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail through the swivel joint of Fig. 1and is taken substantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through the swiveljoint, looking down along line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the device illustrated in Fig.1 with its several parts in disassembled relation, preparatory toassembly; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram explaining the principal steps in `the rotation ofthe two bracket members with respect to each other.

In the present instance, my improved swivel joint, generally indicatedat I0, is shown associated with a bracket element II usually fixed tosome stationary point, and a bracket member I2 to support a lampassembly and adapted to rotate with respect to the bracket I I. Thebracket members I I and I2 are tubular members and each have a portionelbowed to dispose an end portion I3 and I 4 respectively in a verticalposition. Each of the end portions I3 and I4 has a slot I5 and I6respectively formed therein. This slot in each of the members II and I2is of a length substantially greater than one-half the circumference ofthe tubular member and is formed at a point substantially adjacent theopen end of the Vertical portion of the bracket so as to provide aportion of tubing I'I at the open end portion of the brackets.

There is provided an inner sleeve member I8 which has an outer diameterthat will t snugly into the open end portions of the two verticallydisposed ends I3 and I4 of the bracket members I I and I 2. The portionsI3 and I4 are thus maintained in vertical axial alignment with respectto each other by this inner sleeve I 8. The open end of each of theportions I3 and I4 are disposed in abutting relation with respect toeach other, it being understood that some friction reducing elementmight be disposed between these abutting ends. The abutting ends of theportions I3 and I4 are inclosed within the outer sleeve housing I9,which outer housing is preferably a tubular member adapted 'to fitsnugly over the outer diameter of the tubular elements II and I2. Theinner sleeve I8 and the outer housing I9 are substantially the samelength and are vertically disposed in the same horizontal plane, thusforming a rigid support for the abutting ends of the two brackets-II andI2.

. To vcomplete the assembly the two abutting ends of the brackets II andI2 are movably joined to thel inner and outer swivel members I8 and I9by a pair of stud members 20. One of the stud members 2I has its endportions supported in aligned openings 23, 25 formed in the outer sleeveI9 and the inner sleeve I respectively. These aligned openings 23, 25are in axial alignment with the axis of the slot I5 in the lower bracketI I thereby disposing the medial portion of the stud 2| in the l slot I5 for movement with respect thereto.

The upper stud member 22 is likewise supported by the outer and innersleeve members I9 and I8 in a pair of aligned openings 24, 26respectively formed in each of these sleeves I9 and I8. The axis of theupper stud is in a horizontal plane aligned with the axis of theelongated slot I6 in the upper bracket member I2, thus permitting thestud 22 to move with respect to the bracket I2. As will be seen in Fig.3, the swivel joint provides an inner passage 21 through the innersleeve member I8 such that electric wiring may pass through the lowerbracket II to the upper, movable, bracket I2. By the presentarrangement,

the upper bracket member may be rotated with respect to the lower memberI I by merely swinging the upper bracket I2 at the swivel joint I0. Therange of swing provided by this present disclosure is in excess of 360.As seen in Fig. 4, the dot dash line II indicates the axis of the xed.has rotated substantially `each other bracket II, I2s indicates theaxis of the movable bracket I2 at the start of the swinging movement,movement being in a counter-clockwise direction until the axisof theupper bracket I2 assumes a plane along the dot dash line indicated atI2f.

To explain the action of theupper member I2 with respect to the lowermember II in Fig. 6 there is diagrammatically shown the three principalsteps in the. course of one complete revolution, as shown in Fig. 4. InFig. 6 step A indicates the position of the upper and lower slots II--I5and the stud members 2I--22 associated therewith. The position'of theparts as illustrated in step A being complementary to the position ofthe parts when the upper bracket mem-- ber I2 is disposed along the dotdash line i2S as shown in Fig. 4. W'hen the bracket I2 is rotatedcounter-clockwise the pins 2I-22 remain Istationary, such rotativemovement.

beyond 180 the trailing end of the slot It will engage the upper stud 22which is the next principal step as indicated at B (Fig. 6). The upperbracket I2 continues the slot I6 of the bracket I2 permitting After thebracketr I2 in its counter-clockwise rotation and by reason of theengagement. of the trailing end of the slot IB with the stud 22, thestud 22 will be urged in a counter-clockwise direction and by reason ofitsl connection with the inner and outer sleeve members I8-I9 suchsleeve members will rotate las a unit with the upper bracket I2. Therotative movement ofy the inner and 'outer sleeves :IS- I9 will cause alike rotative movement of the lower stud pin 2| which is normally posiitioned in one extreme end of the slot I5 as shown, through the slotformation I5 in the lower bracket I I until the lowermost stud 2I abutsthe opposite end of the slot I5 as indicatedv in the diagram (Fig. 6) atC. 'Ihe position of the movaq ble bracket I2 will then be in a planesubstantially along line I2f as shown in Fig. 4. Y

` By the present invention I have provided an improved swivel jointstructure wherein relatively inexpensive tubular bracket members arejoined for rotative movement with respect to by a simple arrangement oftubular sleeves. The means for fixing the two movable brackets withrespect to each other at the same time is employed as a stopping meansthat limits the rotative movement of the two brackets with respect toeach other thus eliminating the number of parts as well as difculty ofassembly.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish toI be limited to the precisedetails of construction setv forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modications as come within the scope Having thusdescribed myinvention, what I same in axial alignment with each.other,an elongated slot formation in each of said bracket members adjacent theopen ends thereof and extending circumferentially of said members, adistance substantially greater than 180, a tubular housing encasing saidbracket members in the region of said open ends, means for interlockingsaid bracket members with said inner tubular sleeve and said tubularhousing, said means comprising a pin element for each of said slotformations and having its medial portion disposed therein and its endportions xedly supported on the inner tubular sleeve and the tubularhousing.

2. In a `swivel joint assembly an outer sleeve members having theiropenV end portions disposed between said outer sleeve and said innersleeve in' co-axial relation .with respect to each other, each of saidbracket members having an annular slot formed circumferentially thereinadjacent the openend portion thereof, and a pair of stop means supportedby said inner and outer sleeve, one of said stop means having its medialportion disposed through the slot'formation in one of said brackets, theother stop means having its medial'portion disposed through the slotformation of the other one of said bracket members.

3. In a swivel joint assembly an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, apair of rotatable bracket members having their openr end portionsdisposed between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve in co-axialrelation withv respect to each other, each of said bracket membershaving an annular slot formed circumferentially therein adjacent theopen end portion thereof, stop means o n said outer sleeve andincludingfa portion extending from the outer sleeve into each of theslot formations in the bracket members.

4. In a swivel joint assembly an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, apair of rotatable bracket members having their open end portionsdisposed between said outer sleeve and said inner sleeve in co-axialrelation with respect to each other, each rof said bracket membershaving an annular slot K through `the slot formation in one of saidbrackets, the other stop means having a portion thereof disposed in the4slot formation of the other vone of said bracket members.

PAUL H. IRMISCHER.

